A problem which has been identified in use of the apparatus of WO 02/019289 is that if bank notes are not fully and properly inserted into the tray before it is closed they may jam in the slot or become bent over the upper surface of the plunger. Any such note may therefore not be pressed by the plunger through the bottom of the tray, in which case it will be accessible when the tray is pulled out again.
A principal object of the present invention is to offer a solution to this problem. If a bank note is not fully inserted into the tray before the tray is pushed into the housing it will actuate a safety device which will prevent the tray from closing. Inability to close the tray will of course alert the user to the problem. After the tray has been pulled out again and the offending note or notes have been properly inserted into the tray the safety device is de-activated and it is possible to push the tray fully into the housing, whereupon the plunger can be operated.